[meteorite-list] OT: HOW MANY PLANETS?

From: MexicoDoug_at_aol.com <MexicoDoug_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed Aug 3 20:12:07 2005
Message-ID: <ba.772c7895.3022b751_at_aol.com>

Darren G. wrote:

>if a KBO were to be brought in to 1 AU, would it still be
>concidered a planet? What about a few years later when
>half (give or take) of it had sublimated
>away and left nothing but a ring of rubble?
 
Great balls of Fire! Meteorite heaven and a lot of new iridium stratigraphy
to work out, though Ron might not be as upbeat about the whole proposition
worrying about finding some high ground to store his meteorites just before
the potential for another great terrestrial deluge:)
 
Darren, if we swapped Uranus with Earth something similar to what you
envision might happen to Uranus at 1 AU as well...though your point is a good one
to mull over...
 
PS I got a private message complaining that "having an atmosphere" was too
subjective a criterion to define a planet. I agree, bad choice. The revised
definition is "or its atmosphere gives rise to visible meteors when colliding
with cometary dust." I.e., there is something for meteor observers and
meteorite hunters to do.
 
Saludos, Doug
 
Received on Wed 03 Aug 2005 08:12:01 PM PDT